THIS INVENTION relates to a vehicle position indicating device.
It relates particularly to a vehicle position indicating device for indicating the position of a vehicle. It relates also to a vehicle incorporating the device and to a method of indicating the position of a vehicle, to the driver of the vehicle.
The positioning of vehicles relative to surrounding objects can be problematic. This is particularly a problem when manoeuvring vehicles in confined spaces. In the case of large trucks, for example, the driver is often assisted by another person in guiding the truck into a parking bay, to a loading platform, etc. In order to further assist with manoeuvring of such trucks, many trucks are fitted at the rear ends thereof with distance indicating sensors using, for example, ultrasonics, that are operable to generate output signals that provide the driver with an indication of the distance of the rear end of the truck from objects in the vicinity of the truck. This serves as a guide to manoeuvring the truck, for example, while reversing the truck. Such devices are generally expensive and can only provide an indication of the position of the truck relative to other relatively large objects. Thus, the distance indicating sensors referred to above require the presence of other large objects, barriers etc., to indicate to the driver of the truck, the position of the truck relative to such objects, barriers etc. Besides the high expense of such sensors, this is a shortcoming.
According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a vehicle position indicating device that can be mounted to a vehicle, the vehicle position indicating device comprising
an electric lamp that is operable to emit a focused beam of light when the lamp is illuminated; and
mounting means for mounting the lamp to a side of the vehicle in an arrangement wherein the beam of light produced by the electric lamp is directed downwardly onto a surrounding substrate surface, in use, thereby to form a spot of light on the substrate surface at a predetermined distance from the side of the vehicle, that can be observed by a driver of the vehicle, to allow the driver to judge the proximity of the spot of light and hence of the vehicle to the boundary of a confined area when manoeuvring the vehicle in the confined area.
The mounting means may be operable to permit adjustment of the position of the electric lamp and thereby the position of the spot of light produced by the lamp on a substrate surface, in use, relative to the vehicle.
The mounting means may be operable to permit adjustment of the electric lamp for positioning the spot of light a predetermined distance from the vehicle which provides a predetermined safety clearance between the vehicle and the boundary of the confined space.
According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a vehicle including a vehicle position indicating device, the vehicle position indicating device comprising
an electric lamp that is operable to emit a focused beam of light when the lamp is illuminated; and
mounting means for mounting the lamp to a side of the vehicle in an arrangement wherein the beam of light produced by the electric lamp is directed downwardly onto a surrounding substrate, in use, thereby to form a spot of light on the substrate surface at a predetermined distance from the side of the vehicle, that can be observed by a driver of the vehicle, to allow the driver to judge the proximity of the spot of light and hence of the vehicle to the boundary of a confined area when manoeuvring the vehicle in the confined area.
The mounting means may be operable to permit adjustment of the position of the electric lamp and thereby the position of the spot of light produced by the lamp on a substrate surface, relative to the vehicle.
The mounting means may be operable to permit adjustment of the electric lamp for positioning the spot of light a predetermined distance from the vehicle, which demarcates predetermined safety clearance between the vehicle and the boundary of the confined space.
According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a method of indicating the position of a vehicle to the driver of the vehicle, the method including the steps of:
emitting a focused beam of light downwardly from a side of the vehicle, onto a surrounding substrate surface thereby to form a spot of light on the substrate surface a predetermined distance from the side of the vehicle; and
the driver of the vehicle observing the spot of light when manoeuvring the vehicle in a confined area, thereby to judge the proximity of the spot of light and hence of the vehicle, to the boundary of the confined area.
The method may include adjusting the beam of light so as to position the spot of light a predetermined distance from the vehicle, thereby demarcating a predetermined safety clearance between the vehicle and the boundary of the confined area.